Disposable absorbent article having an extended sublayer

Abstract

An absorbent article includes a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. A sublayer is disposed between the topsheet and the absorbent core. The sublayer includes sides edges which extend past the side edges of the absorbent core and end edges which extend to the front and rear waist regions of the absorbent article. The side edges of the sublayer are secured to the backsheet in the area between the side edges of the absorbent core and the leg elastics. The attachment of the side edges of the absorbent core improves the liquid take-up by ensuring contact between the absorbent core and the sublayer even after the bond between the sublayer and the absorbent core may have failed. In addition, the attachment of the side edges to the backsheet ensures that the absorbent core maintains its shape even after it is saturated with liquid.

I claim: 
     
       1. A disposable absorbent article having a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region, said absorbent article comprising: a backsheet;   a topsheet associated with said backsheet;   an absorbent core disposed between said backsheet and said topsheet, said absorbent core having spaced side edges and end edges;   a front waist region;   a rear waist region;   a crotch region between said front and rear waist regions;   a pair of leg openings intermediate the front and rear waist regions;   leg elastics positioned adjacent said leg openings;   said topsheet further comprising a central panel and a pair of outboard panels, each of said outboard topsheet panels having a first portion and a second portion integrally formed with and extending from said first portion, said second portion comprising an upstanding waste containment flap attached to said central topsheet panel above said absorbent core; and   a sublayer positioned between said topsheet and said absorbent core, said sublayer having side edges extending beyond said side edges of said absorbent core, said side edges of said sublayer bonded to said backsheet between said side edges of said absorbent core and said leg elastics.   
     
     
       2. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, said sublayer comprising a hydrophilic, spun-bonded, non-woven liquid pervious material. 
     
     
       3. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, said sublayer extending from said front waist region to said rear waist region. 
     
     
       4. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein said waste containment flaps are elasticized and positioned on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article. 
     
     
       5. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 4, said waste containment means positioned above said absorbent core in at least the crotch region. 
     
     
       6. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, said central topsheet panel having a width dimension equal to or smaller than a width dimension of said absorbent core. 
     
     
       7. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, said outer topsheet panels comprising hydrophobic substantially liquid impervious non-woven material. 
     
     
       8. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, further comprising bond means for bonding said sublayer to said absorbent core. 
     
     
       9. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 2, said absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, said bond means for bonding said sublayer to said absorbent core comprising three substantially equally spaced lines of adhesive extending parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article. 
     
     
       10. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 1, further comprising bond means for bonding said topsheet to said sublayer. 
     
     
       11. The disposable absorbent article according to claim 10, said absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, said bond means for bonding said topsheet to said sublayer comprising two lines of adhesive extending parallel along opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline of the absorbent article.